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Primer
Introduction to Nexus Nexus is a complicated world and an even more confusing reality to some. This primer is aimed at those who want a starting point to learn about its intricacies. It will hold information on the events that led up to its creation and the two main factions that cause most of the conflict. The Collapse To understand the catastrophic that destroyed the old Multiverse and created the current one, we have to first explain the concept of the former state of reality. Before the collapse many different realities existed side by side, many of them either created through or described in what was initially considered fiction. It is unclear whether those who created the works of fiction were also the ones to create the realities they used as their settings, or if they were visionaries who were allowed glimpses of alternate realities. However, the precise nature of the alternate realities' creation is of little concern at the moment. What you do need to understand is that the tapestry of these realities was fragile in nature, they were kept apart by a very delicate fabric. Use of FTL drives, teleportation, time travel and other methods of distorting the space-time continuum twisted and eventually tore this fabric and the boundaries between realities collapsed. This was known as the Collapse. Now only a single reality exists and all the others are slowly bleeding into this new prime reality. Nexus Nexus is the homeplanet of the Nexus Coalition (which will be described below) and is technically called Nexus Prime. It is a temperate planet in the Nexus system and the third planet from the sun. It has a variety of ecosystems not dissimilar to Earth, though its inhabitants are more varied. On the planet Nexus there is a gate through which elements from other realities manifest into this one, it is one of two such nodes that exist, the other being on the Elvyn Homeship (again, more on that later). This has led to a wide variety of different races and cultures to congregate on the planet and the architecture and aesthetics of its main city, commonly known as The Hub, reflects this diversity. The planet revolves around its own axis in about 25 hours, creating days with about 12.5 hours of daylight and 12.5 hours of darkness. Every 300 days it finishes a revolution around its sun, with 4 distinct seasonal transitions every 75 days. Each of these seasons, commonly referred to as the seasons of Seed, Bloom, Harvest and Rest, is further divided into 3 months each. Each is 25 days long and coincides with the cycle of the moon. The Overseer and the Drifter Both the Overseer and the Drifter existed in a multitude of realities before the Collapse. The Overseer as a fragmented nearly omnipotent being, bent on manipulating as many realities as possible to create perfect, flawless order. Specifically an order in which free will was eradicated and genetic conformity became the standard. The Overseer, his fragmented selves now reunited, still chases this conformist dream and those who sought power or domination over others have a tendency to bleed into this reality through a portal on his planet-sized ship: the Elvyn Homeship. The Overseer refers to himself as Elvyn, though whether that is his true name or the name of his race is unknown. What we do know is that he is largely humanoid in appearance, though he appears thin and tall and the back of his skull is more elloptoid than a human's. Another fairly obvious difference is the fact that he has another set of arms and his legs are divided into three segments, with the first 'knee' bending backwards and the second bending forwards. The Drifter, as he is commonly known, appears entirely humanoid, though he has a tendency to conceal his face, either in shadows or by wearing masks. Most interaction with the Drifter goes through me, but what most people do not know is that I do not need to relay messages to him. I am him. Due to the amount of skills and abilities he has acquired in the many lifetimes he has lived, he thought it more prudent to not appear directly involved. As such, I was created by him to serve as a representative, just like my "sister" Delila. She is the female variant of myself and has been the Drifter's female incarnation in some realities. The Overseer is the reason he has lived so many lifetimes in so many different realities. His mostly human genetic structure is open to adaptation and has yet to reach the pinnacle of its evolutionary path. As such fragments of the Overseer's power were combined with his DNA to allow him full control over his genetic structure. As his own splintered selves entered his consciousness after the Collapse, he was confronted by the Overseer, their powers now equal, and he refused the Overseer's offer of dominion over a perfectly uniform universe. Instead he adopted the planet now known as Nexus as his home and erected the Hub from a single slab of white marble-like stone. As the Hub expanded, this city became too small and it is now merely the city's centre. The Holy Empyreal Order of the Overseer and the Nexus Coalition The Holy Empyreal Order is the faction led by the Overseer, they seek dominance over all creation and to exterminate diversity and free will. Their tactics are precise, but predictable and often employ overwhelming force or numbers. The Nexus Coalition, on the other hand, fights to preserve free will and diversity and as such is made up of volunteer soldiers and mercenaries. This has made it possible for them to react with more erratic and less predictable fighting methods against certain Order engagements, but poses its own restrictions and problems. Other Noteworthy Individuals Though many have come from other realities, some of the most noteworthy individuals have come from the base reality that all others were thrust upon: some of them will be listed below. Steven Bentley, Head of Law-enforcement Steven Bentley is a Human Earthling, who has worked in law enforcement on his home planet. Financial cutbacks led to his career ending prematurely and he took it upon himself to rid the streets of his district of drug pushers, rapists, muggers and other assorted scum by donning an ice-hockey mask and utilising his escrima training (a martial art from Earth, which teaches the martial artist to dual-wield two sticks and promotes a form of offensive defense). His new persona quickly gained a reputation and was christened the Stick. Steven is a close friend of the Drifter's and according to some his last connection with his humanity. Steven is a down-to-earth, pragmatic and practical individual who insists that all cases are looked at individually and with regards for the context and circumstances leading up to the incident, as well as the psychological, mental, physical and emotional factors that may have contributed. He has been pushing for a mandatory treatment plan for lawbreakers and has made some headway, convincing others that mandatory treatment is a health-based decision and has nothing to do with incarceration. This would lead to offenders with psychological or emotional issues to be treated by certified professionals, who have been instructed in criminal psychology. It has been said that he and Jane Austin are more than colleagues, but they do not indulge in grandiose public displays of affection for each other. Equipment and skills: Steven is a trained police officer, who prefers wearing black leather jackets, studded on the shoulders with large metal spikes and denim jeans. He is a trained police officer (which includes training in investigation, interrogation, firearms and non-lethal unarmed combat techniques) and a master of escrima. He carries two fighting sticks within the lower halves of his leather jacket, which he can drew with astounding speed, but he is able to use most blunt objects in conjunction with his training. He prefers fighting with a stick in each hand, but has been known to use baseball bats, brooms, hockey sticks or other staff- or club-like objects with great skill. “Dreaded Jane” Austin, Task Force Leader Jane Austin is an accomplished marksman and she has mastered the basics of sorcery. Her most notable characteristics are her prosthetic limbs. Her left leg and right arm are fully bionic and her bionic right eye is linked directly with the control unit of her arm, allowing her to aim with pin point accuracy. The cybernetic hair on her head gave her her nickname, the thick strands of what look to be stripped metallic cables, with intermittent bead-like yellow and red casings, resemble a hairstyle from Earth, commonly known as dreadlocks or dreads. She often wears revealing clothing, believing that it will either distract her opponents or make them underestimate her. She is indeed a very fetching young woman, though her past is shrouded in mystery. She has stated she took the last name Austin from a city she remembered. This would indicate she came from Earth, however her knowledge of Earth's culture and history seems either lacking or distorted, when compared to that of Steven Bentley's or Gilbert Donahue's. Equipment and skills: Jane favors ranged combat, over hand-to-hand fighting and she carries about a dozen throwing knives in a belt that's slung over her chest diagonally , a sawed-off shotgun in the small of her back and two revolvers in holsters on her hips. If she is forced into close combat, she relies mainly on the kukri which she carries above the shotgun on her back or one of the two knives she carries on her shins. She favors skin-tight denim hot-pants, “cowboy-style” black leather boots, with golden stitching and a black leather waistcoat, that reveals a lot of skin on her torso. She is often seen wearing a black “cowboy-style” leather hat. She has also mastered the basics of offensive elemental magic, favoring fire over the other elements of earth, water, wood, flesh, and wind. Mark Benson, Coordinator of the Board Mark Benson is an Earthling, he has combined magic practice with technology and is able to physically link himself with computer systems. He is a soft-spoken, friendly individual, who at the same time appreciates time on his own. He leads a group of people who look at submitted job requests and who are responsible for posting these on the Board, a job listing medium that allows registered mercenaries, warriors and other experts to complete specific objectives. He and his team also oversee the transactions between the one who requested the job and the one who completed it. Each job has a certain level of complexity and likelihood of succeeding, each registered individual is scaled towards a certain index, which ensures they will not be able to take jobs that are out of their league. Jobs which are too preposterous or too dangerous are also filtered out of the system before being posted on the Board. Equipment and skills: Mark Benson is able to physically connect to computer system, giving him almost perfect control over their processes and melding his intelligence with it. He has no remarkable combat skills or clothing choices, mainly favoring jeans and loose T-shirts. Gilbert Donahue, Chief Archivist Gilbert Donahue was a librarian and occult investigator, on one of the Earths that existed before the Collapse. He is a slightly overweight, slightly arrogant and unpleasant character, who is always sure he knows more than others and is convinced his opinions and views are the only proper ones. In truth, however, he is a coward, who hides behind a scholarly mask and he virtually always tries to worm his way out of any confrontation, when his bluster fails to impress his adversary. Being one of the first to arrive that actually had any experience as a librarian or archivist, he was appointed as the first, and at the time, only person in charge of sorting, categorising and collecting works of fiction and non-fiction from the limitless worlds. His efforts have proved fruitful and any resident of Nexus has access to the extensive library under his care. There are no restrictions to the information that can be accessed, but when someone who is registered as a farmer accesses a large number of volumes on alchemy, poison and chemistry and one of his acquaintances falls mysteriously ill, they will be confronted. In short, requests for information are logged to a resident and any inconsistencies or strange behavior may be met with a simple inquiry for their motivation. Equipment and skills: Gilbert has no special skills, other than his vast repository of knowledge and information. He is, however, very skilled at finding information and extracting underlying meanings. His clothing-style belies his arrogance and scholarly disposition, favoring cotton, pressed pantaloons, blazers and tweed jackets. Jack Faulkner, Head of R&D Jack Faulkner was a well-known street racer on his home planet, but few were aware that the friendly, charismatic, jovial, yet surprisingly naive young man with a thick Louisiana-accent was actually able to communicate with the spirits residing within machines. This skill allowed him to push his vehicles to the limits, but he was also able to interact with most technological devices, especially those that had micro-chips. Jack is a good-looking, outgoing man with relatively simple tastes. His idea of the perfect day involves racing or working on cars, listening to rock or metal music and having a few beers with friends. However, he is also very intelligent and a master mechanic. This fascination with technology has led him to start categorising, examining and trying to improve the technology from the vast amount of realities that have come together on Nexus. Due to him being the first to attempt this he has been unofficially in charge of research and development from the very beginning. The Drifter and the Nexus Council have recently officially given him the position, but he basically already held it for several years. Equipment and skills: Jack is a master mechanic and a keen experimenter. He favors clothing that can stand up to the rigors of physical labors and tends to wear worn denim jeans and plaid, sleeveless shirts. He despises the use of violence, but can fire a weapon if he absolutely needs to, though he would much rather provide logistic support, extraction or transportation. Michael Heavenson, Archangel General Michael Heavenson is actually the Archangel Michael of Christian mythology. However in an all-out war between the leaders of Heaven and Hell, both exhausted their energies and reserves and both armies were relinquished. This resulted in the Angels losing their feathered wings and the Demons losing some of their physical traits and many went into hiding among the Human population of their Earth. Michael, like most Angels from his world, is a large, muscular man of pale complexion with hair that is almost white in color and almost seems to radiate. His wings have shed their wings and left behind skeletal constructs of pure, physical manifestations of a golden light. Michael has continued to fulfill his role as general, though his army now consists of many races, rather than just Angels. He is a stern, religious individual who tends to speak in an archaic form of English and shows the corresponding over-protectiveness of most women, while still respecting their abilities. He finds it hard to accept the moral ambiguity displayed within the ranks in his forces, but does his best to try to understand the gray areas. He also has trouble understanding who, in his eyes, his Lord would have forsaken him and his people and has starting revering the Drifter, almost as a replacement, something the Drifter is not necessarily fond of or agrees with. Equipment and skills: Michael is a veteran of several smaller conflicts, as well as the Battle of the Architects that sapped his Lord's strength. He carries a large sword on his back, which he can imbue with a radiant white fire and he is able to manifest light in many forms, often as either protection, projectiles or weaponry. He wears a black chainmail tunic, which prominently features the Nexus crest on his chest. Godwin, Fleet Commander Godwin's personal history is largely a mystery. A few, mostly those within the Council, are aware that he was a test subject for the Elvyn and that he is the last of his race. Many are aware of his legendary accomplishments though, having risen through the ranks of escaped slaves, outlaws and space pirates to become a leader of their now unified splintered factions. This position and his charismatic and commanding presence have led to him gathering many different races and ships in his fleet, which is often referred to as Godwin's Flock and he has taken on the role as Fleet Commander for the entire Nexus Coalition by a nearly unanimous decision of the other commanders and captains. Equipment and skills: initially Godwin was not much of a warrior, but he has the ability to gain the respect and loyalty of those who follow him, making him an excellent leader. The many raids and skirmishes he led against Elvyn forces have given him an unconventional insight into strategy and tactics, making him an unpredictable, but dangerous opponent. His genetic heritage allows him to grow accustomed and adapt to changes in his surroundings within hours or even minutes and he has been seen with scales, thick leathery skin, bone plating, fur and bristles. He prefers wearing a long, black coat and what looks to be a skin-tight bodysuit underneath, but being the last one known of his kind, this may just be a normal expression of his skin. Derrick Rifkin, Drifter's Representative Derrick Rifkin, is a calm, collected, open man, who usually finds the time to listen to the troubles and worries of others and is genuinely interested in their well-being. He is knowledgeable on many subjects and a jack-of-all-trades. He's an approachable character who often serves as a liaison between representatives or residents and the Drifter. He is also a keen martial artist, a gifted spellcaster and a devoted follower of the gladiatorial tournaments that are often held. Equipment and skills: Derrick often dresses in practical, sturdy clothing, with many pockets and pouches that hold a variety of small items, tools and weapons, some would say more than seem likely. He has been educated in most sciences and scholarly pursuits and grasps the basics of most scientific interests. He has also received basic combat (with weapons, firearms, martial arts, projectiles and grappling) and magical training and has experience with first aid and medical treatment. He is the quintessential jack-of-all-trades, but master of none and can fill most roles in a dire situation. He is also one of the of the Drifter's inner circle who seems to have no qualms about showing his face or showing openness about his character and past to others. ' The Wind, Drifter's Bodyguard' The Wind is the Drifter's bodyguard and protector, but his protection extends to nearly all those who would need it. He's a lot like the fabled “super-heroes” of most realities, preferring to wear relatively tight-fitting clothing and hiding his face in the shadows cast by his black hood. He favors an indirect approach in combat, often using magic, the environment or an opponent's own actions against them. His demeanor is an unknown quantity, as he often leaves immediately when the danger has subsided and he often seems to meld with the shadows upon departure, disappearing from corners or spots that seem to have no physically apparent method of escape. Some speculate that the Wind and the Drifter are somehow related, that their may be a familial bond, one is a clone of the other and some insist that they operated as actual vigilante “super-heroes” on their own world, with the Wind being sidekick to the Drifter. Equipment and skills: the Wind eschews the use of weaponry and prefers to fight his battles unarmed or with the aid of magic. Most of his magic and abilities seem related to the shadows, the wind or air and movement in general. He is very skilled in swimming, running, dodging, evading, tumbling, climbing and seems to be a master in the art that links all forms of efficient movement that most Earthlings call parkour. His stealth is aided by his black clothing, but close observers may note a pattern embroidered in gold, which resembles the constellations in the night sky. Dario “Dust” Salgon, Drifter's Protégé Dario Salgon is a young man of no exceptional build or physical quality. He is often seen accompanying either the Wind or the Drifter and seems to have been taken on as their apprentice, student or protégé. He is a capable fighter who favors polearms and single-shot rifles (often fitted with a bayonet). He is often seen wearing a morion-style helmet, with a custom faceplate that obscures the upper half of his face, with only his mouth and chin showing. He seems a very well-mannered and well-groomed young man, who displays a basic understanding of and training in guardsman-type work (akin to the Renaissance-time of Earth). He is very respectful and polite in his speech and often greets most people who acknowledge him. He displays genuine interest in the lives, skills and knowledge of others and has been known to request apprenticeship with several craftsmanship and combat schools, but he seems reluctant to reveal his entire face. In those situations where his helmet would be deemed unacceptable or inappropriate, he often opts to wrap a scarf around his face and head or wear a scarf and cap in those situations and only his eyes will show. This preserves the expected standard of secrecy set by the Drifter and the Wind and he has recently politely requesting others to refer to him as Dust, but it is slow to catch on. He is a very approachable, caring and passionate young man, who can sometimes catches himself not paying the proper respect or adhering to proper etiquette, though others would most likely see him as being overly polite and respectful. This is more of an endearing quality to most who meet him, though and it often kindles a feeling of respect or even need to care for him. Equipment and skills: Dust, as he prefers to now be known, usually wears his signature morion helmet, but can also be seen wearing a black leather cap and red scarf or having his head wrapped in a red scarf. The rest of his attire reminds those who know of Renaissance-era Earth of the uniforms worn by the legendary Musketeers, with bright reds and blues and a sling of ammunition across his chest. He has not (yet) adopted the usual colour combination for guardsman and law-enforcement (which is black, with gold accents), but usually wears a black band on his upper right arm with the Nexus logo. He usually carries a single-shot, bolt-action scoped rifle over his shoulder and carries a sheathed fencing foil. He is remarkably proficient with both weapons, though his technique is far from flawless. His knowledge as well is astounding, but he has not yet fully mastered the basics of everything and the extent of his studies is no where near that of Derrick's. He has also earned some experience with his apprenticeships with blacksmiths, weaponsmiths, gunsmiths and fletchers. Titles I've amassed quite the collection of titles and positions in my time before and after the Collapse, the most commonly known one are General of the Coalition's forces and "lord of Nexus". Listed below are some of the other ones (followed by their source reality): * Captain in the Royal Army, Expert Hunter, Expert Fisherman and Expert Herbalist (Hero of the Kingdom) * CEO of Nexus Media Group (Game Dev Tycoon) * Champion of classes F through R1, world record holder for amassed Drift points and first place winner of all Forza-organized events (Forza Motorsport 3) * Detective (Dance of Death) * Detective (Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek) * Detective (Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood) * Grimm Brothers Detective Agency Examiner (Fairytale Mysteries: The Puppet Thief: Collector's Edition) * Healer (Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan) * Prince and Captain of my own ship (Hero of the Kingdom II) * Sheriff of the City of Fairies and Queen of the Swan and Eagle Kingdoms (Grim Legends 2: A Princess and a Dragon)